Norleywood Crossroads 'should be made staggered junction'

Highway bosses are being urged to cut the crash risk at Norleywood Crossroads - part of the B3054 Lymington to Beaulieu road - by turning it into a staggered junction.

It follows the success of a similar scheme that has already been carried out at Ipley Crossroads on the C97 Lyndhurst to Dibden route.

The B3054 is used by a large number of tourists and commuters.

The mayor of Lymington, Cllr Jack Davies, is backing calls for Norleywood Crossroads to be made safer (Image: Cllr Jack Davies)

The most recent accident at Norleywood happened earlier this month. The collision involved a car and a van and resulted in one person being taken to hospital.

A recent meeting of Boldre Parish Council heard that four crashes had occurred at the crossroads in six weeks.

READ MORE: Two-vehicle accident at Norleywood Crossroads in the New Forest

Now Totton councillor Caroline Rackham, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for New Forest East, is urging Hampshire County Council to turn it into a staggered junction.

Cllr Rackham said: "This is a dangerous accident blackspot in need of urgent revision.

"On such a major route for the Forest, this needs to become a priority before more people, and animals, are injured."

Ipley Crossroads was converted into a staggered junction in 2021/22 following a spate of accidents (Image: Newsquest.)

The Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for New Forest West, Cllr Jack Davies, who is also the mayor of Lymington, said the Ipley scheme had made the junction safer.

He added: "Using the Ipley blueprint at Norleywood makes a lot of sense. It’s a nightmare for people at the moment. The council must act."

READ MORE: Ipley Crossroads converted into staggered crossroads after two fatal accidents

A county council spokesperson said safety improvements had already been made at the crossroads, including "Stop" signs, chicanes, and new signage on the B3054.

They added: “We have explored the feasibility of major changes at the crossroads, similar to those already in place at Ipley.

"Aside from the need to secure significant funding, a scheme of this type would also need consent from the New Forest National Park and meet the requirements needed for construction within a Site of Special Scientific Interest."

The spokesperson said the county council used accident data provided by police to decide which road safety schemes should be prioritised.

"This enables us to direct our limited resources to places where there is the highest opportunity to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

"There are a number of locations that have higher numbers of injury incidents than Norleywood and therefore our current funding would be allocated to those sites in the first instance."